An Examination of the Leadership Frames of African American Graduates of the Thomas Lakin Institute Who Aspire to Become Community College Presidents

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the perceived leadership frames of Thomas Lakin Institute graduates. This study sought to determine if the independent variables, demographic characteristics (gender and age) and academic experiences (academic discipline and years of administrative experience) relate to the perceived leadership frames (dependent variables) of the Thomas Lakin graduates as measured by the Bolman and Deal (1990) Leadership Orientation Instrument (LOI, Self). Bolman and Deal’s (2008, 2013) Four Frames Leadership Theory undergirded this study and addressed the complex nature of academic institutions. This study utilized a non-experimental, cross-sectional survey design that was considered the best approach for assessing the perceived dominant leadership frame of the graduates at Thomas Lakin Institute. Quantitative procedures (descriptive and inferential) analyzed the data. Descriptive statistics summarized the demographic characteristics and academic experiences of the Thomas Lakin graduates. Descriptive statistics, using means, standard deviation, and graphs described and provided a visual of the participants’ dominant leadership frame by respondent groups (aggregate responses, gender, age, academic discipline, and years of administrative experience). Descriptive statistics utilizing frequencies determined the leadership style (no frame, single frame, paired-frame, and multi-frame). Two-way ANOVA assessed whether any relationships existed in the perceived dominant leadership frame of the Thomas Lakin graduates based on their demographic characteristics and academic experiences. There were several major findings in this study. The Thomas Lakin graduates perceived themselves as exhibiting characteristics of the Human Resource frame. In terms of gender, both male and female graduates perceived themselves as exhibiting characteristics of the Human Resource frame. Overall, eighty-one percent of the graduates in this study were identified with a multi-frame leadership style. This study has contributed to the body of literature regarding the leadership frames of African American senior level administrators interested in becoming college presidents. Finally, the other major findings in this study along with the recommendations for further research and professional practices are provided.